Is anyone using FS PBX?

[bradgarrison]

I just saw a video on youtube for what looks like an additional GUI for FusionPBX called FS PBX. Before installing it, I was wondering if anyone else here has used it.

GitHub - nemerald-voip/fspbx: FS PBX: World’s Best Open-Source PBX

FS PBX: World’s Best Open-Source PBX. Contribute to nemerald-voip/fspbx development by creating an account on GitHub.

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[ja133]

Using it for the past year and a half, as the developer is a personal friend of mine. We have 3000+ endpoints. Very happy with it, and im not saying this in a biased way to favor him. I am very particular, and there’s adjustments he had to make on my behalf in order for me to agree to use it (and i’m not saying this in a bad way, it’s just that everyone has their quirks, i just have a little more quirks than others!)

the biggest difference is that it is very user friendly. I don’t have to demo to my customers a convoluted GUI with too much going on. His GUI really dumbs things down for users (and employees of ours) who just want to go in and make simple changes.

 

[bradgarrison]

The interface looks clean and easy to use. I'll try it out next week and post back.

 

[PrettyBrutalXperience-Guy]

This is very pretty, but after scanning the github readme, watching the video and reading the comments I won't be trying it out, certainly would never even consider rolling out to production because:
1. The project is based on a fork of an older version of a currently active professionally and supported project, yet has no intention of keeping up with the source.
2. The introduction of additional frameworks means an increased attack surface and performance penalty, yet the overview claims improved performance and a more maintainable codebase. The statement is either marketing (a lie) or demonstrating the author's lack of understanding systems as a whole.
3. Ultimately this project makes the UI pretty, but does so in the manner inconsistent with enterprise standards and best practices. While Django PBX may not be as sexy as this project its based on a solid foundation (FreeSwitch) and developed by folks who understand and respect stability and security.

FusionPBX does have an API, while not free or cheap, the best solution to building on Fusion would be to build on its APIs, anything else is kind of like stealing.

 

[pbxgeek]

@ardyhash

I appreciate your feedback, but I believe there are several points where the situation may have been misunderstood:

1. Versioning and Updates: The project is based on version 5.1, just slightly behind the current version 5.2. Up to this point, there has been significant effort to stay aligned with FusionPBX's updates, and there is a plan to continue syncing updates in the future. The idea is to reach a stage where everything is fully replaced, eliminating the need for further syncing. So, it's incorrect to say that the project lacks intention to keep up with its source.
2. Frameworks and Security: The addition of Laravel is intentional. Laravel is a widely adopted, well-supported framework with a large global developer base, offering advanced security features that are difficult for smaller projects like FusionPBX to replicate in-house. Your concerns about an increased attack surface are valid in theory, but in this case, leveraging a widely supported framework with regular security patches actually improves security, not the reverse.
3. Performance Considerations: While FusionPBX is built on a solid foundation with FreeSwitch, it is also known for performance bottlenecks due to the way it handles memory, specifically PHP loading thousands of variables into memory. It’s essential to dive into the actual code before concluding that this new project introduces performance penalties. The statements in the README regarding performance optimizations aren't just marketing claims but reflect real improvements in handling specific load issues that FusionPBX suffers from.
4. Enterprise Standards: Since this project is essentially a GUI for FusionPBX, any claims about it not following enterprise standards should more accurately be directed at FusionPBX itself. If you are satisfied with FusionPBX’s foundational stability and security, this project builds on that, offering a more intuitive, user-friendly interface that is designed for modern usage, especially for those looking for an alternative to the dated portal.

Regarding the comment about "stealing" – using FusionPBX’s API is encouraged, and this project doesn't claim otherwise. It builds on top of the open-source base in a way that's fully compliant with open-source principles.

Lastly, for those seeking additional features or support, there is a paid support option available for anyone needing professional help with installation, customization, or ongoing maintenance.

 

[PrettyBrutalXperience-Guy]

pbxgeek,

Thanks for keeping your cool and replying in kind. Its nice to see someone standing up to support the project and countering each point with genuine explanations. Where may one learn more about the commercial offerings, namely paid support?

 

[markjcrane]

Here are a few of my thoughts on this topic. Since this is a place that many people go to talk about FusionPBX I feel I'm justified in speaking up on this topic. Full disclosure for a few that don't know I'm the creator of FusionPBX.

1. Versioning and Updates
   1. There has been sufficient time to update to FusionPBX 5.2
   2. FusionPBX 5.1 is end of life for this reason it is not a strong foundation
   3. A new FusionPBX 5.3 has been released.
2. Security
   1. Has been reviewed by many security experts all around the world
   2. FusionPBX 5.1 is end of life. This is a problem because security requires a maintained version.
3. Performance
   1. FusionPBX performance has been improved version after version for several years
      1. FusionPBX 5.3 performance improvement from 5.1 is noticeable and significant
      2. The new release for 5.3 even has improvements to make Call Detail Records faster
      3. Good Performance also requires indexing the database
   2. Performance of the web interface is no longer an issue unless FusionPBX is not up to date or not properly configured.
   3. Each FusionPBX developer on the official team uses a Raspberry Pi with an SD card.
      1. We use this for development as improvements for speed are more obvious on this platform.
4. Enterprise
   1. FusionPBX uses an enterprise-class database called PostgreSQL
      1. However, some were concerned about our database choice moving to PostgreSQL as our primary supported database.
      2. PostgreSQL is and has proven to be an Enterprise-class Database
      3. Over the years we are seeing more and more attention and development on PostgreSQL.
      4. PostgreSQL has support for JSON popular with no SQL databases.
      5. Recent news MariaDB was bought by an investment group. They will want to return on their investment. This makes me even more confident that PostgreSQL was the best choice for an open-source database.
   2. FusionPBX uses NGINX, Linux, and FreeBSD also used by Enterprises
   3. FusionPBX does use its own framework and it's used by a large number of customers. We are experts in our framework and we have PHP experts analyzing and improving it.
   4. FusionPBX track record
      1. Improved year after year after year with a track record of more than 15 years.
5. New Release
   1. FusionPBX 5.3 has been released. We have focused a lot of attention on the dashboard, theme, lower resources, higher performance, and bug fixes.
   2. The new theme and new dashboard are public and ready to be used.
   3. Those still using 5.1 or 5.2 are missing out on many improvements. We have made a lot of progress in FusionPBX since 5.1.
6. Customizability
   1. FusionPBX is not only brandable but also extremely customizable
   2. Permissions control a lot of what you see in FusionPBX if you don't like something then remove its permission.
   3. FusionPBX is very theme-able to an extent few people realize. We will be sharing some screenshots on the FusionPBX website after the release to show some of that flexibility
7. Dashboard
   1. FusionPBX 5.3 dashboard is also very customizable with its own permission and many options. We have put significant time into this release and will continue to put in more effort on the dashboard and the entire ecosystem of FusionPBX.
8. Simplicity
   1. With FusionPBX you are in control of settings, and permissions that give you granular control of what you offer your clients.
      1. This means that many items on the page can be hidden with permission
      2. Permissions can be protected so that Restore Default doesn't touch these customized permissions changes.
   2. We will continue to make FusionPBX easier to use for end users we have some good ideas that are coming soon.
9. Longevity
   1. Work on a PBX requires an enormous amount of dedication and resources a level new project leaders can't imagine until experiencing it for some time. I want to talk to anyone who chooses to go through it and see what they say 10 or more years into it. What will you they think at that point?
   2. The depth required you will not know until you have done it for a decade and supported at least a hundred or more people for that long.
   3. FusionPBX has survived and continued after several open-source and commercial projects have ended. In 2012 there were many of them were eventually abandoned by the developers. Newer projects have started since they quit after realizing there is no end to the work that is required.
   4. New projects will require time to see how dedicated any newer project creators are. FusionPBX will continue past the life of many new projects.
   5. In my case, FusionPBX has become my life's work and there are many people dependent on it. Ultimately I want my life's work to have meant something significant to those using it. Therefore we will continue to make FusionPBX better, faster, easier, more secure, beautiful, stable, and versatile.

FusionPBX 5.3 have been released with a new more competitive theme and dashboard. FusionPBX dashboard looks much better but it is also very customizable and access to each item in the dashboard is controlled by group permissions. A new install now defaults to a side menu conforming to industry standard design. The top menu is set in default settings with menu_style: fixed. The side menu is menu_style: side. Take a look at the new design and theme.

 

[DigitalDaz]

I did take a look at this. It is very pretty. If the intention is purely to make fusionpbx better then why not just work with Mark to actually integrate it within the project itself?

 

[pbxgeek]

I second everything that @markjcrane mentioned above. FS PBX is designed to enhance those capabilities, offering a clean user interface with additional functionalities and integrations with third-party services. It aims to streamline the overall experience while complementing the core features that Mark highlighted.

@DigitalDaz I'm very open to collaboration. That’s a great idea.

 

[wouam31]

Hello everyone,
I find the idea of integrating FS into FusionPBX fantastic.

The FusionPBX interface is very "technical," and that's why I love it!
However, when it comes to giving access to a user, it becomes a bit more complicated.

Having both themes on a FusionPBX would be a great advantage; we could always keep the FusionPBX interface for administrators and the FS interface for users.

 

[pbxgeek]

@wouam31 The idea for an improved dashboard emerged when we noticed that our clients were unable to perform basic self-service tasks, requiring them to submit support tickets for everything. After redesigning the pages to make them more user-friendly, we managed to cut down ticket volume by around 50%. We expect to see even greater reductions as we continue redesigning additional pages.

As for functionality, you can already achieve that. Once FS PBX is installed, you have full access to both the old and new pages. You have the flexibility to configure menus however you prefer—allowing users to see only the redesigned pages, while administrators have access to everything. The new pages typically include advanced settings that offer granular control over SIP configurations, similar to what you'd find in FusionPBX. Everything is permission-based, utilizing the existing FusionPBX permissions, along with a few additional permissions that come with the FS PBX dashboard installation.